Verdict
The Volkswagen Arteon passes its MOT first time on 86.8% of tests, 3.6 points higher than a typical car of the same age and mileage (83.3%). That puts it ahead of 81% of cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.
By year of first registration, the 2017 Arteon does best (beats 94% of cars) and the 2020 worst (beats 65%).
Of its engines, the 1.5 Petrol does best (beats 84%) and the 2.0 Diesel worst (beats 80%).
Better than average on brakes, lights & electrics, emissions & leaks.
Watch these weak spots
MOT pass rate by age
First-time pass rate at each MOT by the car’s age in years.
Best and worst years
By year of first registration, ranked against all cars on UK roads after adjusting for age and mileage. Green = better than half of cars.
Engines
All years, most common first. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Petrol | 87.5% | Beats 81% | A |
| 2.0 Diesel | 85.7% | Beats 80% | A |
| 1.5 Petrol | 87.6% | Beats 84% | A |
Where it fails
Each area compared with a typical car of the same age and mileage, in points of pass rate. Tap or hover an area to see what to check.
Every MOT area
Share of tests failing on each area, against a typical car of the same age and mileage (black line).
Buying one or MOT due? Check these
- Tyre damage & cracking 1.8× typical
Look for cuts, bulges and cracking on both sidewalls of every tyre. - Shock absorbers 4.0× typical
Push down hard on each corner: it should rebound once and settle. Look for oily dampers. - Tyre tread depth
Check every tyre, including the inner edge, has at least 3 mm of tread. Uneven wear can point to alignment or suspension problems. - Brake pads
Ask when the pads were last replaced and look for a brake-wear warning on the dash. - Headlight aim
Park facing a wall at night: both dipped beams should sit level and dip to the left. - Engine warning light
The engine warning light should come on with the ignition and go out once the engine starts. If it stays on, get the fault codes read before you buy.
Pass rate by mileage
First-time pass rate by mileage at the test.
Most common MOT failures
| Item | This car | Typical | vs typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tyre damage & cracking | 6.3% | 3.6% | 1.8× |
| Tyre tread depth | 1.7% | 2.0% | 0.8× |
| Shock absorbers | 1.5% | 0.4% | 4.0× |
| Brake pads | 1.4% | 2.0% | 0.7× |
| Headlight aim | 0.7% | 1.8% | 0.4× |
| Engine warning light | 0.6% | 0.7% | 0.8× |
| Airbag warning light | 0.4% | 0.2% | 2.6× |
| Brake discs | 0.4% | 0.5% | 0.8× |
| Windscreen wipers | 0.4% | 2.1% | 0.2× |
| Windscreen washers | 0.3% | 1.3% | 0.2× |
Specific defects found
Tester wording for the most frequent failure items, per 1,000 tests.
| Defect | per 1,000 |
|---|---|
| A tyre seriously damaged | 35.9 |
| A tyre cords visible or damaged | 26.3 |
| Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 16.9 |
| A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage | 14.6 |
| A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 12.5 |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 7.3 |
| Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction | 7.3 |
| An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction | 4.1 |
Pick a make and model to see its MOT pass rate, best and worst years and weak spots.
Every year and engine
Tap a year to see its engines. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.
2022 Volkswagen Arteon1 engine88.7% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Petrol | 88.7% | Beats 67% | B |
2021 Volkswagen Arteon2 engines88.1% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Petrol | 88.5% | Beats 74% | B |
| 2.0 Diesel | 87.6% | Beats 81% | A |
2020 Volkswagen Arteon2 engines86.4% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Petrol | 86.7% | Beats 63% | B |
| 2.0 Diesel | 85.8% | Beats 68% | B |
2019 Volkswagen Arteon3 engines86.9% passA
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Diesel | 85.6% | Beats 79% | B |
| 1.5 Petrol | 87.9% | Beats 84% | A |
| 2.0 Petrol | 88.3% | Beats 85% | A |
2018 Volkswagen Arteon3 engines86.0% passA
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Diesel | 85.3% | Beats 83% | A |
| 2.0 Petrol | 86.7% | Beats 85% | A |
| 1.5 Petrol | 86.8% | Beats 84% | A |
2017 Volkswagen Arteon1 engine88.0% passA
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Petrol | 88.0% | Beats 94% | A |
FAQ
What is the Volkswagen Arteon MOT pass rate?
86.8% of MOT tests on the Volkswagen Arteon were passed first time, based on 36,821 tests between 2020 and 2026 of cars first registered 2017–2022. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 83.3% of the time.
Is the Volkswagen Arteon reliable?
On MOT results it rates A (excellent): it passes first time more often than a typical car of the same age and mileage and does better than 81% of cars on UK roads. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.
Which Volkswagen Arteon year is best?
Among years with enough data, the 2017 Arteon does best for its age and mileage: it beats 94% of cars on UK roads. The 2020 does worst: it beats 65%.
Which Volkswagen Arteon engine is best?
Across all years, the 1.5 Petrol does best: it beats 84% of cars on UK roads. The 2.0 Diesel does worst: it beats 80%.
What are the most common MOT failures on the Volkswagen Arteon?
The most common failure items are tyre damage & cracking, tyre tread depth, shock absorbers. Compared with similar cars, tyre damage & cracking comes up 1.8× as often.